


Strangeness And Charm

by Kekune



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: Heartworm Guy: you know the one, Implied Sexual Content, Isabela playing wingman, M/M, handers - Freeform, implied Aveline/Donnic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:54:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23864110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kekune/pseuds/Kekune
Summary: Isabela has had enough of Anders and Garrett dancing around each other for three years, yearning and pining. When a favour for Aveline brings them to the Wounded Coast, she decides to set them up.
Relationships: Anders/Male Hawke
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	Strangeness And Charm

**Author's Note:**

> Title stolen from a song by Florence + Machine.

Anders woke up in his bed – or whatever he was telling himself was a bed – in the backroom of his “clinic“. Even though it was still late summer a chill was creeping over his skin, leaving goose bumps all over it and making him shiver.

He was wrapping himself in his blanket – or whatever he was telling himself was a blanket – hugging it tight before he let out an exhausted sigh.  
Justice was sending him messages – orders – so many of them through his dreams lately and Anders felt like he didn’t sleep at all.

The spirit had been feasting on his mind, his insecurities, his needs and wishes when he couldn’t have been more vulnerable, searching for something he could use for his own cause. He always took advantage of the fact that Anders – like all humans – needed to sleep. A state he didn’t have any control over and Justice liked to put thoughts and ideas into Anders head at night that couldn’t be his own, could they?

They screamed loud behind his eyes, showing him pictures of destruction, of fighting, of war even, pictures that still seemed so right, so necessary.

Justified, he thought, gritting his teeth. But were they- justified? He asked himself. His eyes were burning, the blue light behind them so intense, banishing the soft hazel he called his own, forcing his question to disappear without a second thought.

I need to get up, he said to himself. Enough of whining about something he couldn’t change anyway. People needed his help and even Justice enjoyed himself when Anders was helping the sick. Keeping Justice on his good side, keeping him satisfied, was something that mostly resulted into being left alone. Anders liked to be left alone, liked to be the master of his thoughts, words and actions.

Sometimes – even though he and Justice were so entwined at this point, two beings living in one body – he remembered how it was to be the only one in there.  
Who would he be if he were just Anders, a shabby mage with strawberry blonde hair and freckles on his face? What decisions would he make if they were truly his own?

"Hawke, that horrible horrible man, with his sarcastic words and dumb jokes“, he thought, a sad smile on his lips. If the circumstances had been different, Hawke was a decision he would have made without a second thought.

•

When Anders finally opened the clinic, the first thing he saw was Isabela. He sighed. Maker, why do you punish me so early in the morning?

“Really, Bela, again?“, he asked.  
“Can’t you keep your hands to yourself for one night?“ Her lips formed into a mischievous smile.  
“Like you do all the time?“  
Anders groaned.  
“You need to relax, Blondie.“, she mimicked Varric‘s words.  
“I could“, she stepped closer and straightened his cloak.  
“Oh no, no, no, no, I rather think not. I already know more about your sex life than I ever intended to. And I would like to leave it at that.“  
“Your loss.“, she said.

“Still pining after Garrett? It’s time you moved on. Or make a move at least. I pity you both dancing around each other the whole time. How long has it been? 3 years? I mean I wouldn’t say no to Hawke, you know? I tried. But he‘s always busy yearning, it‘s quite depressing.“  
“As if.“ Anders rolled his eyes.  
“Why are you here? To annoy me? To dig around and get information involving my non-existing love life.“, Anders wanted to change the topic as quick as possible, this wasn’t Isabela‘s business. At all.  
“Hm.“, She nodded.  
“You know there are actual people out there who are in need of a healer.“  
“I am in need of a healer.“ Anders granted her an annoyed look.  
“The usual?“, he asked, rolling his eyes as far back into his head as they allowed him.  
“Yeah.“  
“Next time you‘re on your own with it.“  
“You wouldn’t!“  
“Try me. Let‘s just get it over with and never speak of it again.“

•

Isabela was right though, he was avoiding being alone with Garrett as much as possible, losing control was nothing he could afford. He was only a man after all. In need of- Maker‘s Breath.  
What was it with the people today? That’s why he liked cats better.

“Garrett promised to help me with something...personal“, a familiar voice said.  
Aveline. What was Aveline doing here?

“He says he needs you for it. I don’t know why to be honest but who am I to judge Garrett‘s decisions.“  
“You do that all the time.“ Anders said, eyebrows raised.  
“Fair enough.“  
“What‘s different today?“  
“It‘s private. Please don’t ask.“  
Anders had a good understanding of privacy and wished way too often that people respected his. He didn’t ask, if Aveline didn’t want to tell him, he would accept that without questions. That didn’t mean he wasn’t curious.

•

“Anders, I‘m happy to see you again. You’re currently so busy, we rarely see each other these days. It’s a shame.“ Garrett clapped him on the back with his usual force and Anders instantly stumbled.  
That man really underestimated his strength. Like all the time.

Anders was lucky he didn’t lose his balance and landed in the dirt, not that it made any difference concerning his clothes but it was better for his ego that way.

But what if he had tripped? Would Garrett have caught him or would he have helped him up entwining their fingers?

For a moment Anders thought about throwing himself on the floor just to find out. But Isabela was with them and she already smiled one of her suggestive grins which instantly put a terrible blush on his face.  
Stupid ginger complexion, he cursed, making everything so bloody obvious. Maybe Aveline would sympathize.

When Anders dared to look at Garrett, nothing in his expression had changed. Thank the Maker. Maybe he wouldn’t die of embarrassment after all. At least not today, by any chance.

“What‘s wrong, what do you need me for?“, Anders asked. They just arrived at the Wounded Coast and it was already getting dark. Normally Garrett always talked to them about their missions first, this was extremely unusual but since Anders secluded himself so much recently, Garrett had probably thought he didn’t want to be disturbed or even worse, he didn’t want to see him for some reason.

Hawke – who probably thought he was whispering (but didn’t whisper at all) – was taking a step closer to Anders before blurting some words out that put a horrible blush on Aveline‘s face.  
Yes, she would definitely sympathize with the ginger complexion, he decided.

“Aveline here has a little crush on Guardsman Donnic and she needs some help to pursue him.“  
“Oh.“, Anders said.  
“Not a word.“ Aveline seemed like she was about to rip Hawke in half if he only dared to continue speaking. Or Anders if he commented on it. Which he wouldn’t do, he didn’t plan on dying tonight.

“All these people with their crushes here tonight, I wish I would have brought someone myself.“, Isabela said and Anders thought about commenting on Aveline‘s romantic inclinations after all. Maybe dying wasn’t that bad.

“Huh?“, Hawke asked, pure eloquence.  
“You know her, she likes to tease.“  
“That I do.“

While Aveline and Donnic were patrolling and flirting – if one could call it that, she was really competing with Anders own nervous rambling – Hawke, Isabela and Anders had much to do with keeping the bandits at bay, a factor that really played out in Ander‘s favour.  
They didn’t have much time for talking and had the great chance to listen to Aveline embarrassing herself. Anders felt terribly sorry for her while Hawke was slowly losing his patience.

“How can one be so bad at that? And how can Donnic be so oblivious?“, he asked, dramatically throwing his hands into the air like he wanted the Maker to do something about it.

“I don’t know, Garrett.“, Isabela said, amused. When she opened her mouth again Anders knew she would say something at his expensive.  
“Exactly. How can one be that oblivious?“, she repeated.  
„One must be really stupid to not notice anything after indulging oneself in three years of romantic fantasies while the real thing is right in front of them. Oblivious indeed.“  
“What do you mean?“, Hawke asked, mildly confused.  
“Care to elaborate?“  
“My dear Garrett, you might be buff but you are not that stupid.“  
“I-", Garrett started but Isabela cut in. 

“Anders, please, for the sake of Andraste‘s lady parts, say something. At least one of us needs to get laid tonight. And since I‘m here with your stupid lot, wasting my night away instead of talking to handsome sailors in The Hanged Man while drinking cheap ale, I will not be that person. And Aveline will definitely not get lucky either after the disaster we just witnessed.“ She let out a sigh that made it noticeably clear she was so done with their idiocy and wouldn’t tolerate any more of it.  
“No excuses.“, she said and focused her gaze on Garrett.  
“You‘re a daft couple of... take a hint and bend him over a basin, will you?“  
“Oh.“, Garret said.  
“Oh indeed.“

“Let‘s save Aveline from herself first, okay?“, Isabela suggested. “I can’t look at this any longer.“

“And then we let you deal with the rest, Bela, and we sneak away.“  
“Thank you very much.“, Isabela sighed.  
“If you both didn’t annoy the hell out of me I would be offended but I‘m just so glad this thing“, she gestured between Hawke and Anders “is resolved now. Even though it means all my chances with Garrett are gone, aren’t they?“  
“They most definitely are.“, Anders said while making a gesture that implied he would keep an eye on her.  
“If you change your mind and let me borrow him for a night, let me know.“  
“No chance. He doesn’t have a say in this.“

Garrett chuckled and took Anders hand in his.  
“Ugh.“, Isabela said.  
“I prefer the Heartworm guy over looking at you being disgustingly affectionate. Let me deal with Aveline and disappear from my vision before I vomit on your shoes.“  
And that they did.

•

Anders woke up in his bed – this was his bed, wasn’t it? – and tried to snuggle up to his blanket which surprisingly didn’t feel like a blanket.  
“Go back to sleep.“, the blanket said and didn’t sound like a blanket at all.

Anders wanted to follow the advice; he was so incredibly tired. Justice had tormented him with one nightmare after another, mostly screaming at him that he wouldn’t allow Anders to forget the cause, the greater good, because of unnecessary distractions. Distractions such as Garrett.

Not justified, Anders thought. Let me have this. He knew Justice wouldn’t force him to give up Hawke when he still went through with the plan.

Justice was right about so many things after all, he wanted the mages to be free more than anyone else and Anders would give them that freedom. But first he deserved some of it himself and his freedom might as well be Garrett.

If they only had been born in a world that was fair to mages, a world in which he didn’t have to make a pact with a spirit in the first place, a world which would let him have this – a little bit of happiness – without regrets. He had to think about the future, remember why he did this. There would be mages who could have this because Justice had succeeded with his plan. Anders had to keep this in mind.

“Ten years - a hundred years from now - someone like me will love someone like you, and there will be no templars to tear them apart.“, Anders whispered.  
“What did you say?“, Garrett asked, still half-asleep.  
“I said I need to open the clinic in a few, I bet Isabela is the first in line.“  
“Why would she come to the clinic?“  
“I‘m pretty sure she gave in and bedded the Heartworm guy.“  
“Gross.“

“Anders.“, Garrett said but it somehow sounded like a question.  
“Hm?“  
“My door will be open tonight.“

**Author's Note:**

> A word from Heartworm Guy (the actual hero of this fanfiction):  
> "Isabela, my dusky Goddess, you have buried yourself in the flesh of my heart like a worm in a red red apple.  
> You heartworm you."


End file.
